Poverty-stricken individuals had more to lose when it was required of them to serve Athens. Pericles boasts about how Athenians are brave and how they face danger "voluntarily" (Warner, 40, 147) in my opinion it was required of them to fight (serve) like Spartans, but without training. It is required of Athenians to undergo the hardships in her service" (Warner, 42, 148). Pericles establishes a sense of unity for the common goal of empowering Athens under the pretense of freedom. This is best exemplified when he says "happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous". In order to be courageous on had to drop his identity and adopt the way of Athenians by putting your life in danger for Athens. .
Pericles' method of education transforms its citizen to abide by the Athenian way. He elaborates the path Athenian citizens must take to be "virtuous". By establishing guidelines on how one should be: to serve the state, be equal before the law, develop merit, and to be tolerant towards others. As toleration exists, it does not address the stratification and factionalism. Pericles misses to address how wealth plays a vital role in Athens and associated perks of being wealthy. In order for the wealthy to exist poverty too must exists. It is accepted to be poor and give everything you have for nothing in return. By eliminating choice and offering a narrow structured path to follow, citizens are force to assimilate to the Athenian way.
Aristophanes portrays Socrates in The Clouds to defy Greek gods and democracy. Socrarates clearly states to Strepsiades that "There is no Zeus." (Aristophanes, 27). Aristophanes stands against the "thinkery" or school of philosophy (London Athenian Society, 3), he believes it is dangerous and corrupting morals (London Athenian Society, 4). The school Socrates teaches personal perspective, questioning, reasoning, and critical emanation of evidence.
